Apparatus for gauging and grading leather



Dec. 30, 1952 G. HAY ETAL 2,623,291

APPARATUS FDR GAUGING AND GRADING LEATHER Filed Nov. 15, 1949 s sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

6 E 1 m Q -v 2 \HH 0 I H 2 t A THN N e 7 A. N A R 3 m /N I EG.V o 2 S r A 2 V W an N 1 3 I A 2 WM 1| .2 1 w mm Y W 0 R. G. HAY ETAL APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND GRADING LEATHER Dec. 30, 1952 F1led Nov 15. 1949 R. G. HAY ET AL APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND GRADING LEATHER 3 $heets-$heet 3 INVENTOR Y H K E m 6m 0 L h F. M A W M Dec. 30, 1952 Fiied Nov. 15, 1949 Patented Dec. 30, 1952 APPARATUS FOR GAUGING AND GRADING LEATHER Randall G. Hay, J enkintown, and Hermon F. Van Wye, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application November 15, 1949, Serial N 0. 127,362

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for gauging and grading leather whereby to ascertain the direct percentage relation of good leather to the total area of leather in a hide under inspection, as a preliminary to cutting same.

Leather as furnished by the tanner is in bundles of generally similar sizes and weights of hides and of generally similar qualities. The user of the leather, such, for instance, as a shoe manufacturer, is concerned not only that he receive the quality and weight as well as the area of leather purchased, he is also concerned with the cutti quality of the leather. The grader for the manufacturer surveying the respective hides must observe the grain of the skin, 1. e., whether fine, medium fine, medium, coarse or raspy, and while mentally retaining this value must also determine the degree of brokenness of the leather. This basic factor of brokenness is affected in degree by numerous hide defects, including imperfections such as briar scratches, pits, excessive veins, fat

wrinkles, prominent back bone, roughness around the head, softness in the flanks, etc. These all have to be observed and allowed for in relation to the total area of the skin.

In order to establish a system by which the cutter could know in advance what his permissible waste Was in each skin, as an incentive to reduce the actual waste, by skill in cutting, an apparatus and a system was patented by Reymond, Reissue No. 15,744, which made an approach toward the problem, and reference may be made to that patent for the development. Briefly, Reymond stretched the hide under examination and for purposes of examination provided a series of separated small areas of visible leather, each relatively spaced from the other by a larger blanketing area concealing the leather. In general, he exposed only approximately 40% of the leather surface, while 60% was concealed during the examination. By counting the exposed areas having imperfections, in contrast to the exposed areas having no imperfections, he secured an index-number, which, transposed by suitable calibrated charts, would give him an estimate of the cutting quality of the entire skin under inspection. In many cases this haphazard method was surprisingly accurate, but it will be obvious that with at best a mere 40% of the skin being examined, it was fraught with error. It was the patentees belief, however, that it was important to separate the observed small areas by hidden areas, as it enabled closer scanning of the detachedareas, without distraction from closely adjacent other scanning areas. It will be seen,

however, that the patentee had to go through the steps of ascertainment of the index number, refer to the actual area of the hide, and to a chart to determine the guess as to the actual percentage of good leather in the given hide.

The determination or the quality of leather is possessed of various difliculties, which have militated against the success of previous practices. Thus, the leather must not be creased or wrinkled beyond a certain small amount, as a sharp crease or wrinkle remains in the hide to alter its usefulness for its intended purpose, and reduce it in grade or even causing it to become scrap. As any apparatus for assistance in the gauging of the quality must be large enough to take care of the largest hide as well as of smaller sizes, it must be quite large, and owing to the difiiculties in maintaining rigidity in the apparatus certain warpages were almost inevitable, which necessarily subjected the hide to different pressures in different areas, rendering the examination of some of the exposed areas at least inaccurate. In this connection, it will be understood that in addition to the visual scrutiny of the exposed tension to relatively none, the work of the observer is retarded and his estimation of the index number is subject to a greater inaccuracy than would maintain with substantially equal and proper tensions on all areas. It is, of course, also essential that the tension on the exposed areas be accomplished with a minimum danger of creasing of the leather.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide improvements in leather quality gauges or determinators; to provide an apparatus for determining the quality of leather with greater accuracy than was ever previously obtained; to provide a rigid and substantially unwarpable apparatus by which various sizes of hides can be subjected to substantially similarly tensioned exposed areas regardless of hide size; to provide a ning and examining upwards of 90% of the total hide area without imparting wrinkles or lasting creases to the examined leather; to establish a new system for determining the cutting factor of leather; and to provide other objects and advantages as will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this description:

Fig. 1 represents a plan of an illustrative embodiment of the invention with three purely illustrative hides disposed thereon for purpose of inspection disclosing at least 90% of the total hide area for the direct determination of the cutting quality of the hides.

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the assembly of Fig. 1, with the upper platten raised from the anvil portion, as an illustration of the type of opening or separation of the parts that is made to insert and remove hides respectively prior to and after complete examination thereof.

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary enlarged transverse section, partially in elevation, showing the floating hinge of the device, to permit parallel, planar association of the components regardless of the presence of hides between the portions, and showing the relation of the tensioning bars to the angular or channel anvil portions,

whereby tension without appreciable creasing is attained.

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary plan of one of the rectangular units of the apparatus with a fragmentary tensioned hide portion 03,0f hide O of Fig. 1, disposed for scanning, and showing the delineation of the square unit into quarters by the cruciform tensioning device in the center of the square, and showing by dot and dash lines the mental subdivision of each quarter into eighths as a facile mode of determining quality according to the illustrative embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary perspective of an illustrative square scanning area, showing the relation of the cruciform line-forming center to the surrounding angular channel anvil portions, and the respectively continuous and discontinuous platten bars outlining with the respectively continuous and discontinuous angular channel anvil portions, the illustrative square scanning area.

Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary section, similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing in dotted lines. the hinge relationship in the elevated platten condition, and showing in full lines the relations of the parts when separated by a tensioned leather hide portion.

The invention, in an illustrative form, is comprised basically of a lower anvil portion ID, in the form of a table having a bed plate 9, either solid or built up or formed with voids, mounted on suitable supports (not shown) upon which a plurality of angular anvil channel members, to be described, are mounted, defining by continuous and discontinuous upwardly presenting generally V-shaped respectively mutually intersecting channels, a plurality of anvil squares, upon the upper surfaces of which the hides or skins are mounted for scanning and inspection. A movable platten element I I is provided, comprising a grid of mutually intersecting bars, to be described, preferably pivoted at one edge to the stationary anvil H), as by means of a frame member I2 having axially extending pins or studs l3, mounted in the generally vertical slots M in the stationary anvil extensions l5.

Pref erably.

variable tensioned compression springs [6 are disposed in the slots or otherwise so as to bear vertically downwardly against the pins I3 or otherwise to bias the hinge end of the anvil downwardly. This effects a floating hinge between the relatively movable members, and permits automatic adjustment at the hinge to insure parallel planarity of the relatively movable parts in all conditions to insure equal tensioning of the hides on the anvil. It will be understood that the platten and anvil members will be suitably bounded by frame members, and the platten will be provided with a suitable handle or the like IE, to facilitate raising and lowering of same, and the platten may be suitably supported and counterweighted as may be desired, as indicated by the fragmentary chains ll shown in Fig. 2.

The assembly may be of any size so as to embrace any desired number of square or like sub-divisions, but for purposes of illustration will be assumed to be at least four feet wide, and at least eight feet long, so that in addition to whatever marginal areas are incorporated therein there are thirty-two squares each approximating one square foot in area. Any other units may be used as desired, but as the hides are purchased and measured on a footage basis, the square foot unit is preferred.

The anvil IQ of the device incorporates a bed plate 9 of sufficient weight as to remain rigid under such stresses as may be imposed, reinforced as may be desired, and is provided with a series of parallel continuous angular channel anvil members respectively A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I. These extend from front to rear of the anvil, counting the hinge point as the rear, on the upper surface of the anvil bed plate 9. As all of the channel members are identical in formation, including the cross channels to be described, except as to lengths, a description of one and its reference characters will attach to all. Each channel anvil member comprises a central upwardly open V, formed by divergent walls 20 and 2| connected at the lower end by the curved nadir connection 22, either resting upon or slightly spaced from the bed plate 9 of the anvil l0. Atthe upper ends the respective divergent walls 2i] and 2| of the V merge through curved connections 23 and 24 into the respective angularly divergent supporting walls 25 and 26, having the respective flanges 2'1 and 28 outwardly flaring in a common plane and resting on and connected to the bed plate of the anvil. The members are preferably formed from sheet metal. The im portant portions of the anvil channel structures are the divergent walls or wall surfaces 26 and 2 l,

and the upper curved apices 23 and 24, which latter lie preferably in a common plane parallel to the bed plate 9. It will be seen that if desired the important structure just recited can be attained by other structures, such as castings, for instance. The upwardly presenting outwardly flaring walls 2i] and 2| define an upwardly presenting channel 30.

Between each pair of anvil members A and B, B and C, etc. a plurality of identically formed short cross channel anvil members, in parallel spaced relation between the respective pairs of long members, and each forming in series alignment with aligned cross members between other pairs of long members, discontinuous channels extending longitudinally of the apparatus, the series being respectively identified as J, K, L, M,

anglN. The short crosschannel membersare formed exactly as has just been described of the long members, and, as noted, bear the same reference characters, and are disposed on and anchored to the bed plate anvil l0. For convenience, the upwardly presenting channels of the longitudinal channels formed by the short or cross members will be identified as 30'.

The relative spacings of the channel centers are slightly less than one foot in both dimensions, but this difference is compensated for by the amount of the hide which is stretched to overlie the respective surfaces 20 and 2|, as will be explained. The upper curved edges of the short anvil sections J, K, L, etc., is preferably in the same common plane with the related edges of the longer channel members A, B, etc. The assembly of anvil members thus breaks the area of the anvil itself into rectangles each defined by the vertical planes passing through the centers of the channels 30 on two sides and through the centers of the channels 39 on two sides. As noted, however, the rectangle thus defined in projection is a little less than one square foot.

A plurality of generally cruciform supporting, stretching and wide line-forming devices is provided, each comprising a central long leg 32 formed of an inverted V-shaped sheet metal unit having the upper curvilinear transverse surface 33 formed by the upper mergence of the downwardly flaring walls 34 and 35. The latter walls have the respective integral flanges 36 and 31 by which the main leg 32 is mounted on the bed plate. The main leg is mounted on the bed plate with its crest or curved upper edge 33 parallel to and bisecting the space between pairs of channels 30-30 or 30-3U', depending upon whether the main leg is extended across the width or the length of the table. Preferably, the upper curved edge of the main leg slopes upwardly toward the center from each end, and the crest 33 at the ends of the legs is curved inwardly and downwardly as at 38 so as to minimize the formation of sharp shoulders for engagement by the leather. Each main leg 32 has associated with it a pair of perpendicularly intersecting generally aligned, spaced supporting and stretching elements, respectively 40 and 4|, having wide curved crests 39. Spaced from crest 33 by spaces 42, these short members are made just like the main leg 32, although when aligned and mounted on the bed plate, the ends adjacent to the main leg are superposed over and rest upon the respective bottom flanges thereof, with short leg 46 resting on flange 36, and short leg 4| resting on flange 37. Aided by this, or, and preferably predetermined in the formation of the short legs, the crest curves 39 of each are upwardly angularly divergent from a plane parallel to the bed plate, so as to insure a little more elevation toward the center of the cruciform shape than outwardly therefrom. In all cases, the terminal ends of the crest formations 39 are curved about to avoid sharp shoulders. The median vertical plane passing through the crests 39 of the short legs 40 and 4|, is parallel to and bisects the space between vertical planes containing the centers of the channels 30 and 3|], or 30 and 3|! depending upon the direction of extent of the short legs on the anvil. It will be clear that the short members can be brought into actual physical intersection with the long leg, if desired, although the slight spacing shown is not objectionable.

The cruciform shapes each formed of legs 32, 40 and 4|, or in any other desired manner, are each respectively disposed in the centers of the defined rectangles already described, and the curved upper edges of the composite shape, at least toward the center, and preferably for their respective entire lengths are disposed above the plane of the upper curved surfaces 23 and 24 of the channel members. This may amount in an illustrative disclosure to as much as A or more at the center.

The platen device of the apparatus which is in effect a discontinuous grid, is comprised of a plurality of parallel elongated rods or bars extending between the front and the back of the apparatus, which, for convenience, will be characterized by their relations with the respective channel members, as A, B, C", D, E, F, G, H, and I. Obviously, the spacings of the rods between centers is the same as the spacings of the centers of the channels 3|). The rods A, B, etc. lie in a common plane. A plurality of short bars or rods are provided, also lying in the same common plane with and as the long bars, disposed normally to the long rods, and spaced therefrom at each end as at 43 for reasons to be described. These latter are disposed in aligned series, and for convenience are characterized as J to N, and their spacings on centers accords with the spacings between the centers of the channels; 30 with which they are aligned when in parallel juxtaposition. In order to rigidify the whole platten, while affording clearance 43 for the ends of the short rods, the short rods are connected, as by welding or brazing or the like on their upper surfaces, with angle braces 50, cut away at the lower edges at 5|, and connecting by brazing or welding or the like to contiguous angle braces and to the upper surfaces of the long rods. It will be seen that a very rigid and relatively heavy grid assembly is provided as the platten, which is substantially immune to warpage or flexing in use.

When th platten is lowered into contact with the anvil without any interposed hides, the respective rods enter the respective channels and establish a two point or line tangent contact with the latter, in the outwardly or upwardly flaring walls 29 and 2 These points are the lines of tangency 52 and 53 between the preferably cylindrical rods and the generally planar walls, as shown in Fig. 3. In this connection, it may be pointed out that any desired contour may be given to the rods and to the channels, in accordance with the desired tensioning and retaining functions as applied to the interposed hides, but the V-shaped channel and cylindrical rod assembly shown is illustrated as the preferred and simplest embodiment of the invention. It will be understood that generally the smaller the diameter of the rods, the greater the area of visibility of the leather, and the limiting factor in smallness is the necessity for rigidity in the platten, and the necessity to avoid sharp creases by sharp bends in th leather. The diameter chosen is therefore the narrowest which will secure the proper result. Illustratively, we find diameter to be excellent for all purposes.

In determining the quality of the leather as an aid to cutting same, according to the present invention, a bundle of hides is opened and a number of the hides, or one for that matter, is flattened out and stretched over the anvil, with the platten raised on its hinge. Let it be assumed that for purpose of analysis it is the hide 0, disposed adjacent to the hinge line of the apparatus. The hide is placed in as nearly flat condition as its bundle packaging and nature 7 permit. Asnoted, as many hides may be stretched over the anvil portions as desired, indicated by the presence in Fig. 1, of hides or skins P and Q. The hinged platten is then moved downwardly on hinge pins IS in the slots M, which are instantaneously at the lower ends of the-slots under the bias effective thereupon. As the platten descends, the aligned short bars J adjacent to the hinge engag the upper surface of the hide O and force it in a broad curve downwardly into the channel 30 of the longitudinally extending anvil channel member J. At th same time, the ends of the respective long bars F, G and H begin to force the hid beneath them into the ends of the elongated channels 30 of the anvil members F, G, and H. As the platten comes down further to engage additional cross bars with leather to force same into the respective channels and more of the long bars contact with the leather to crimp it Or bend it into the long channels 38, the platten turns about a general fulcrum formed by the first series of aligned short bars, moving the hinge pins l3 upwardly in their slots against the bias, and ultimately the platten finds a level under preferably merely its own weight, at which the platten bars are in a general horizontal plane parallel to the plane of the anvil ill, with the hinge pins l3 assuming a position in the slots M dependent upon the thickness of the hide 0.

Referring to Figs. 1, 4 and 6, it will be observed that the hide O has one short area 05 extending hingewardly beyond the rod J between long rods G and H. It has a surface 02 of that portion leading over the curved apex 23 of the short anvil channel portion and overlying the wall 28 with which it is engaged at the now elevated lin of tangency 52 and by the surface of the rod J. The hide curves about the lower surface of the rod J and leads through a short extent contacting wall 2|, and held thereagainst by the rod J at tangency line 53, leading over the curved apex 24 in a large rectangular area 03 which is defined by the respective lines of tangency 52 or 53 of th respective channels and rods, whichever is closer to the center of the large area 03, and which are all slightly elevated by reason of the thickness of the hide. The large area 03 thus includes not only all of the hide extending between the closest curved apices 23 or 24 of the respective bounding anvil channel members, but also the downwardly directed portion overlying the walls 26 or 2| of those anvil members to the general line of tangency with the rods or bars. Considering for the moment just the area 03, it will be seen from Figs. 4 and 6 that the entry of the rods into the channels has not only tensioned the area 03 between the apices of the anvil members, but also, by reason of the at least partial elevation of the cruciform members toward the center of the area, has caused the hide to intimately contact and be tightened against the upper ridge surfaces 333 and 39 thereof to define by their presence in a wide tensioned line, short of a crease, the central general cruciform bends indicated by the shading in Fig. 4, projecting toward the center of th respective lateral edges, in lines of demarcation re spectively 66, BI, 62, and 63. It will be observed that the mere placing of the platten in proper position relative to the anvil with the hide therebetween not only exposes an area approximating one square foot, but simultaneously it also visually divides the selected area into quarters, bounded byth respective lines of demarcation and by the lines of tangency adjacent to the respective bounding rods or bars. In the illustrative case of the hide 0, there happen to be only two complete square foot areas indicated, namely O3 and 04, as indicated in Fig. 1, and there are partial square foot areas in the same integral hide in the scanning areas of the apparatus, identified as 05, 0%, O1, O9, and 010.

It will be seen at once that in contrast to all previous practices the apparatus described actually brings into view from to 0f the total area of the hide. Applicants are therefore able to effect a new system for gauging the quality factor of the hide in question. By this system they immediately find the proportion of good leather to the total area of the hide. The apparatus disclosed, incidentally, secures an accurate check on the supposed area of the given hide, as the relation of the hide in total delineated squares and square portions (quarters) is readily computed in square feet for check against the estimate furnished. by the tanner supplying the hides.

In gauging the quality of the leather in the use of the disclosed apparatus, the selected preferred square foot unit is not the onl unit that :may be used, and a diiferent shaped opening might also be used to advantage, such as oblong, or the like. As noted, however, leather is sold by tanners in square feet.

The hides or skins are preferably placed with the backbone area of the hide parallel to the long side of the base, as indicated by'the rough approximation of a hide by the skin 0 in Fig. 1. With the respective areas 03 and 04 as the illustrative only completed squares, the operator scans or views the entire surface, aided by stroking of the tensioned leather in the respective quarters delineated in each area. In practicing the method the operator arbitrarily gives a value of one to each quarter which is free from any of the blemishes being sought. As each quarter is comprised of two equal eighths, it is preferred to mentally divide each quarter by median lines diagonal of the rectangles, as indicated by the mutually intersecting diagonal dot and dash lines 65 and 66 of Fig. 4. In practice, we prefer an arbitrary valve of V to each perfect eighth. In gauging the quality therefore by visual and physical observation, each eighth containing a blemish is not counted, whereas each eighth containing perfect hide is counted. The observation is not limited to that defined between the.

parallel bend lines on the inner edge of the respective angular anvil portions, but extends thereover and down to the lineof' contact between the rods and the hide. Pursuing applicants preferredsystem, therefore, each perfect eighth counted as is totaled for each square,

area scanned or inspected, With eight perfect eighths, or four perfect quarters in a given, square foot, we assign a valve of l. With knowledge of the true areaoi the hide, giving a multiple of accepted or" rejected in Whole or in part, the

sum total of the quarter feet squares considered good is compared with the total souare feet, and that ratio is the useable percentage of cutting J'ust measured, and when deducted from 100% produces the waste cutting percentages. As, for all practical purposes, the leather is substantially all visible at all times, being at least 90% visible, it is preferably not necessary to resort to index numbers to be translated into cutting percentages, as in the prior art practices. The actual measurement of the area of the leather may be determined by COlll'lC-il'lq the leather in the complete soua-res as has been discussed, and allowing partial areas in squares not com letely filled up, allowing the said count of four for full squares and the nearest number of visible ouar- It will be seen that the procedure outlined above is not onlv and particularly effective for entire skins or hides, but also for measuring and au ing partially used skins. and re eats, in addition to the checking of the tanners measurements previously noted.

It will be further observed that the creasing of the leather is a minimum. there is no wrinklin thereof, and when the plat en is removed, the skins are removed with no perce tible creasing or wrinklin being evident therein.

It will be obvio s that in the use of the devices suitable counterweights may be used and variations in the hin e form as well as in the means for biasing the platten toward the anvil mav be resorted to. It will. also be clear that the rods and bars and comolemental channel anvil members may have a ious contours and proportions to secure desired results.

The stren th. simplicit and the ease of auging and measuring leather by the a aratus shown, includin the substantially com lete visibilitv of the ent re s rface will be evident.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

'1. An a paratus for measuring and gauging leather comprising an anvil portion, channel members on the anvil portion defining a predetermined outline shape upon which a leather section can be super osed, said channel members each being generally V-sha ed in section with o en mouths defined by rounded u per ends. the apices of which lie substantially in a common plane. a platten portion comprising bar elements havingthe same predetermined outline shape as the channels, said bar elements forcing the leather into said channels about said bar elements and across said rounded u per ends to substantially avoid marring of said leather while establishing portions thereof between rounded ends to lie substantially in said common plane to stretch an area of the leather to facilitate visual and physical examination of the leather disposed in the space bet een the bars, and means for effectively equalizing the pressure of the platten portion against the anvil so that the deformation of the leather between the bars and channels and the stretching of the leather is substantially uniform over such area of leather.

2. An apparatus for measuring and examining leather, comprising a table, a plurality of sets of channel members mounted on the table each generally V-shaped in section with rounded upper end and forming upwardly presenting mouths, the channel members of each set being generally parallel and the sets being mutually normal" to each other to define a plurality of generally rectangular profiles with the apices of the rounded upper ends of the channel members lying substantially in a common plane, said table arranged-to receive a leather piece to be scanned, aplatten comprising a plurality of rods of the samegeneral profile outline as said plurality of channel'members, said platen being movable relative to'the table as a unit to force leather into said'channel members about said rods and across said rounded upper ends to substantially avoid marring of the leather While establishing portions thereof between adjacent rounded ends to lie substantially in said common plane to form a scanning area comprisedof a plurality of substantially rectangular leather areas. .2

3. An apparatusfor measuring and examining leather, comprising a plurality of channel means having center lines which in extension intersect and define a first substantially rectangulararea, said channel means each comprising an inner and an outer wall having generally curved upper edges lying in a common substantial lane, said respecwhereby under pressure of the platten toward the channel means leather disposed on the said upper edges of the walls is stretched across the second stretching area and at least partially across the said inner walls, whereby only a peripheral area concealed by the respective barsis concealed from visual inspection of all of the leather covering said first rectangular area.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, and means for efiecting substantially equalized stretching entry of said bars into said flaring mouths.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, and means for efiecting substantially simultaneous parallelism of the center lines of all of said bars and the center lines of said channel means during at least the terminal end of the pressure' ef the platten toward the channels to, equalize the stretching while minimizingthe surface injury vof such leather.

6. An apparatus for examining leather comprising a table, a plurality of sets of channel members mounted on the table, the channelsof each set being generally parallel and the sets being mutually normal to each other and defining. a plurality of generally rectangular profiles, Said channels forming upwardly presenting open mouths defined by rounded edges, the apices of which lie substantially in a common plane, a platten comprising a plurality of rods of the same general outline as said plurality of channel mem'-- bers comprising generally rectangular profiles, said platten being movable relative to the table as a unit to force leather into said channels about said rods and across said rounded edges to substantially avoid marring of the leather while establishing portions thereof. between adjacent rounded edges to lie substantially in said common plane'to form a scanning area comprised of a plurality of substantially rectangular leather areas-said spaced rods including plural Series of discontinuous aligned rods, each rod shorter than :atside'of the'rectangular channel profile coacting "with the channels to avoid sharp creasing of .leatherat the corners of said rectangular leather areas.

'7. :An apparatus for examining leather prepariatory to cutting, .icomprising anvil means upon "whichleather is'tobe superposed, platten means to be superposed onrsuch leather, means mounting the .platten mean for movement relative to such 'leatherand the anvil means, complemental generally recangular members mounted respectively on the anvil and platten means dividing the respective means into a plurality of series of aligned :rec'tang'les for stretching the leather into a plurality of contiguous squares'in a scanning area of isuchlea-ther viewed through the platten toward the-anvil, saidsquares being bounded by the compl'emental members of the platten means and the latterhaving such small lateral width relative to the dimensions of the squares as to conceal not more than ten percent of the total area of the leather being examined.

8. An apparatus for inspecting and gauging leather comprising a support, a first and a second channel member substantially V-shaped in sec- "tion mounted on the support in parallel spaced relation, a third and a fourth channel member substantially'V-s'haped in section mounted on the support inparallel-spaced relation'normal to and betweenthe said first and second members, said "channel members defining channels the center lines of which in vertical projection outline a rectangular space, and a complemental platten device comprising a first anda second rod in parallel spaced relation, a third and a fourth rod rigidly connected to the said first and second rods and extending between same in parallel spaced rela tion'normal to the 'first and second rods, the center'lines of which in vertical projection outline a rectangular space similar to that of the channel members, said respective rods disposed for nesting disposition in said channels whereby leather initially 'superposed on the channels is deformed to enter said channels and stretch across said rectangular space.

'9. An apparatus for inspecting and gauging leathercomprisinga support, a first and a second channel member substantially V-shaped in sec tion mounted on the support in parallel spaced relation, a third and a fourth channel member substantially v -shaped in section mounted on the support in parallel spaced relation normal disposed for nesting disposition in said channels whereby leather initially superposed on the channels is deformed to enter said channels and stretch across said rectangular space, and supplemental means disposed in said rectangular space to form :a stretching support for the stretched leather to impart a bend line thereto .in definingsubdivisions between the said first and second members, said channel members defining channels the center lines of which in vertical projection outline a rectangular space, a complemental platten device comprising a first and a second .rod in parallel spaced relation, a third anda fourth rod rigidly connected to the said first and second rods and extending between same in parallel spaced rela tion normal to the first and second rods, the center .lines of which in vertical projection outline a rectangular space similar to that of .the channel members, said respective rods disposed for nesting disposition in said channels whereby leather initially superposed on the channels is deformed to enter said channels and stretch across said rectangular space, said channels terminating at their apices in rounded surfaces, and the diameter of the rods being smaller than the entrance into said V-shap-ed channels, whereby in stretching the leather in said rectangular space a portion of the leather bends about said rounded apices and 'overlies'a portion of the walls of said v-shaped member.

11. An apparatus for inspecting and gauging leather comprisin 'a support, a first and a second channel member "substantially V-shaped in section mounted on the support in parallel spaced relation, a third and a fourth channel member substantially V -shaped in section mounted on the support in parallel spaced relation normal to and between the said first and second members, said channel members defining channels the center lines of whichin vertical projection outline aerectangular space, a complemental platten device comprisinga'firstand a second rod in parallel spaced relation, a third and a .fourth rod rigidly connected to the said first and second rods and extending between same in parallel spaced relation normal to the first and second rods, the center lines of which in vertical projection outline a rectanguar space similar to that of the channelmembers, said respective rods disposed for nesting disposition in said channels whereby leather initially superposed on the channels "is deformed to enter said channels and stretch across said rectangular space, said chan: nels terminating at their apices in rounded surfaces, the diameter of the rods being smaller than the entrance into said V-shaped channels, whereby in stretching the leather in said rectangular space a portion of the leather bends about said rounded apices and overlies a portion of the walls of said V-shaped member, and supplemental means disposed in said rectangular space and comprising intersecting inverted V-shaped channels having round apices to impart a generally cruciform stretching support for the stretched leather in said rectangular space to impart division lines thereto as subdivisions of the stretched leather in the rectangular space.

12. An apparatus for examining leather preparatory to cutting comprising complemental means relatively movable for stretching the leather into a plurality of contiguous squares, said means concealing not more than 10% of the total area of the leather being examined,

and generally cruciform auxiliary stretching and bending devices in the respective squares whereby the stretching of the leather in each square automatically bends the leather so as to form subdivisions in each square.

13. An apparatus for examining leather comprising a support, generally V-shaped channels and cross channels mounted on the support and dividing the support into a plurality of rectangles, each channel comprising side walls terminating at the edge in curved apices, a complemental platten member comprising a plurality of rods and cross rods dividing the platten into a plurality of rectangles matching those on the support, each rod being of such diameter that when mounted in the channel to which it is juxtaposed it establishes two spaced lines of tangency therewith below the respective apices of the side walls, whereby when leather is placed upon the said apices and the platten moved thereagainst the leather over said channels is bent and forced partially into said channels overlying said side walls of the V-shaped channels, and stretching across the respective apices in forming the plurality of rectangles for viewing and inspecting the stretched leather.

14.. An apparatus for examining leather comprising a support, generally V-shaped channels and cross channels mounted on the support and dividing the support into a plurality of rectangles, each channel comprisin side walls terminating at the edge in curved apices, a complemental platten member comprising a plurality of rods and cross rods dividing the platten into a plurality of rectangles matching those on the support, each rod being of such diameter that when mounted in the channel to which it is juxtaposed it establishes two spaced lines of tangenc-y therewith below the respective apices of the side walls, whereby when leather is placed upon the said apices and the platten moved thereagainst the leather over said channels is bent and forced partially into said channels overlying said side walls of the V-shaped channels, stretching across the respective apices in forming the plurality of rectangles for viewing and inspecting the stretched leather, and supplemental generally cruciform means mounted on said support in said rectangles extending at least in part above said apices in order to visually subdivide the stretched leather in the respective rectangles into subdivisions for the facilitation of the grading of the leather.

RANDALL G. HAY. HERMON F. VAN WYE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re.15,744= Reymond Jan. 8, 1924 233,361 Lummus Oct. 19, 1880 1,013,531 Carmany Jan. 2, 1912 1,073,511 Nitschman Sept. 16, 1913 1,200,052 Trover Oct. 3, 1916 1,568,183 Reymond Jan. 5, 1926 1,931,297 Reiser Oct. 17, 1933 

